Apparently, Mayor Bing felt the depiction of Detroit as a lawless, crime-ridden wasteland might not be great for the city’s reputation as a lawless, crime-ridden wasteland. But this is where the internet comes in.

Harnessing the power of crowdsourcing, Jerry Paffendorf used Kickstart to solicit donations for the project. The tipping point came with a $25,000 donation from San Francisco’s Pete Hottelet, of the Omni Consumer Products Corporation.

“Once the price tag is determined, a team of skilled sculptors, including a team that worked with Bjork’s husband, Matthew Barney, will build the sculpture from any number of materials. The group is working with the Mayor’s Office to consider public spots, such as areas near Comerica Park or a downtown park.

If that doesn’t work out, the statue may end up at Imagination Station, an outdoor art project cofounded by Paffendorf near the abandoned Michigan Central Station just off Michigan Avenue.” (read more at the Freep)